Sunday, January 15, 2017

Comprehensive Dentistry in Green Brook Township Can Help You After an Accident

We provide comprehensive dentistry in Green Brook Township and can restore your teeth to good health after an accident.  Many of our patients never consider that their teeth could become cracked or chipped.  Most people do not plan for the eventuality of needing to address a dental problem and if you receive regular teeth cleanings and preventative care, you may never have to.  As a result, most people do not know who they will call in the event of an accident.  We encourage you to consider the possibility and add us to your emergency contact list.  

There are approximately 5.4 million car wrecks every year that result in millions of people being injured, some of which have mouth or face injuries. 

Playing sports is more dangerous than you think considering that over 5 million children are injured every year while playing.  The numbers go up exponentially when considering adults.  If you play basketball after work without a mouth guard, you could very easily damage your teeth and need a restoration. 

Seniors are at the highest risk of being injured in a slip and fall accident, with one out of every three falling annually.  There are over 9 million emergency room visits each year due to slip and fall accidents, many of which happen at the workplace, impacting people of all ages.  As a provider of comprehensive dentistry in Green Brook Township, we regularly treat people that have damaged a tooth during a fall. 

When you evaluate the statistics, it becomes highly likely that you or someone in your family will eventually be in an accident and damage a tooth. When it happens, we encourage you to visit our office instead of the emergency room.  General physicians are highly trained and will do an excellent job of treating any physical injuries that you have.  If, however, you have damaged a tooth, you must visit a dentist because we are the only ones trained in how to diagnose and treat your teeth.  When you come in for your appointment, we will examine your teeth and take x-rays to ascertain the full extent of your injuries and then make a treatment recommendation. 

As a provider of comprehensive dentistry in Green Brook Township, we can provide you with a wide variety of restorative solutions.  If you have lost a tooth in an accident, we can replace it using a dental bridge or a dental implant.  A bridge is a non-surgical solution that relies on your surrounding teeth to hold the bridge in place using dental crowns.  An implant is a surgical solution that is permanent.  In this procedure, we place a metal post under your gums and secure it to your jawbone so that a new root system can be created and a new tooth attached to it.  If, however, your tooth was only cracked or chipped, we can restore it using a dental veneer or a dental crown.  Regardless of what solutions you need, we can help.

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Dental Cleaning and Examinations: What We Look For

Our Green Brook Township dental office can provide your child with a dental cleaning and examinations twice a year as a way to help them maintain good oral health. This is highly recommended no matter how old they are, their gender, or the condition their teeth are in. Some high-risk patients like diabetics and those with weak enamel may want to visit our office more often, but generally speaking, twice a year is enough to remain in good oral health. Our team is friendly and gentle, so we are certain they will have a positive experience when they come in. 

The first part of their appointment will be for the dental cleaning. We will use an abrasive paste and dental tools to remove the plaque and tartar that has built up on their teeth since their last cleaning. This will improve the appearance of their teeth and remove many of the surface stains. Health-wise, this is an important step because it allows us to reduce the risk of them developing tooth decay, infections, and gum disease. All these problems can be caused by built-up plaque, so a teeth cleaning is necessary no matter how often they brush and floss their teeth, especially considering that there is bound to be some places in their mouth too difficult to clean with brushing and flossing alone. 

The examination portion of their appointment is equally important. In dental care, it is best to identify any issues early so treatment can begin before the problem gets worse and causes discomfort. During their exam, we will look for any signs of tooth decay. If they have a small cavity forming, we can often remove the decay before it causes them any discomfort. Afterward, we can restore the tooth using a tooth-colored dental filling, crown, etc. The earlier we do this, the less likely they will be uncomfortable as they eat and go about their daily activities. A regular dental cleaning and examinations make this possible. 

Infections are also important to catch early. We typically take x-rays during an exam, and this allows us to see the inside of their teeth. If they have infected dental pulp, they could need a root canal and the faster one is performed, the better it will be for their comfort and health. 

We will also look for signs of gum disease. This is a condition that often leads to tooth loss, so it is critical that gum disease is not left untreated. If their gums appear to be red, swollen, or receding, we may suggest scheduling a deep cleaning appointment so the plaque can be removed and their gums restored to good health. This is a far more intensive treatment than a standard dental cleaning and examinations, so it will require a follow-up visit. 

The final thing our Green Brook Township dentist office will look for is signs of damage. It is important that they have their teeth restored if they are cracked or chipped. We can do so using a variety of procedures that include dental bonding, dental veneers, or dental crowns.